Pokémon Center
Pokémon Center (ポケモンセンター) is a Pokémon-exclusive retail store owned and run by The Pokemon Company. Originally opening in Tokyo in 1998, the Pokémon Center has expanded into opening additional stores in Osaka, Nagoya, Fukuoka, Yokohama, and Sapporo. For a time New York even had a Pokémon Center, but in 2005 was remodeled into a general Nintendo store, Nintendo World. The Pokémon Centers are well-known for carrying a wide variety of exclusive merchandise not found in any other store, in addition to merchandise of a variety of brands. Special promotions and lotteries are also held for special limited merchandise, along with limited-time merchandise promotions of varying themes. (For instance, the Eevee Collection.) Merchandise from such promotions, especially of popular Pokémon, can often quickly become difficult to find and expensive once the promotions end. Pokémon Center Tokyo The Pokémon Center Tokyo (ポケモンセンタートウキョー) opened in April 1998 in its original location, a building shared with Creatures, Inc. in Nihonbashi. It marked a milestone in being the first Pokémon Center. The original location closed 16 July 2007, and reopened in a new building in Hamamatsu-chō on 20 July 2007. With that came a new logo; while the original logo featured Poliwhirl, Pikachu, and Charmander, the new and current logo features Piplup, Pikachu, and Charmander. Pokémon Center Osaka The Pokémon Center Osaka (ポケモンセンターオーサカ) opened on 14 November 1998, making it the second oldest Pokémon Center. Meowth appears to be the store's special mascot, as special merchandise promotions featuring a Meowth Maneki-Neko have been held to commemorate the store. Pokémon Center Nagoya The Pokémon Center Nagoya (ポケモンセンターナゴヤ) opened on 22 October 2002. (More Information Needed!) Pokémon Center Fukuoka The Pokémon Center Fukuoka (ポケモンセンターフクオカ) opened on 1 November, 2003. (More Information Needed!) Pokémon Center Yokohama The Pokémon Center Yokohama (ポケモンセンターヨコハマ) opened on 5 March 2005. The store seems to enjoy a nautical theme, in terms of mascots Captain Pikachu and Manaphy. Special merchandise promotions commemorating the store feature the two Pokémon and the nautical motif. Pokémon Center Sapporo The Pokémon Center Sapporo (ポケモンセンターサッポロ) originally opened on 1 July 2005. At first it appeared to only open during the summer, closing for a full year on 2 October of that year. It then closed for two years on 29 October 2006, and finally reopened for good on 6 March 2008. This store's mascot appears to be Eevee, and special merchandise promotions commemorating the store have featured the Pokémon. Pokémon Center New York The Pokémon Center New York opened on 16 November 2001, originally making it the third Pokémon Center at the time. Like its Japanese counterparts, the store featured exclusive merchandise not found anywhere else, including special New York-exclusive commemorative merchandise. And like the Japanese counterparts, the store had an online store anyone within the United States could order from. However, both stores' lives were short-lived, closing in January of 2005 to be remodeled into the general Nintendo store, Nintendo World. The website closed altogether; the reason stated was their wishing to sell Pokémon merchandise exclusively through their retail partners. Pokémon Center Online Coming Soon! Promotions Coming Soon! Trivia * Resources *Official Pokémon Website (Pokémon Center Section) (Japanese) Category:Stores